Janet Jackson spent most of her childhood in the public eye as her brothers from the Jackson 5 had become global phenomena when she was born. She lived in her brothers ‘ shadow, and herself was thrown into the showbiz world by her father and manager, Joe Jackson. In today’s quote, Jackson touched upon those memories as a child, working day and night while missing out on her key childhood experiences.The quote of the day from Janet Jackson reads: “A lot of people who start work at a very young age never grow up because they never got that opportunity to be a child, so they hold on to that and still do a lot of childish, silly things.”
What does the quote from Janet Jackson mean?
Today’s quote is all about understanding that there is no way to replace childhood memories and emphasizes on how important it is to have those experineces and embrace them. (Instagram)
Janet Jackson shared these words in 2008, while in conversation with The Guardian. The star had been talking about how it was like for her to grow up in the limelight and how it all had an effect on her in the long run.Jackson’s quote comes from her real-life experiences as a child star who was thrust into stardom from the mere age of seven. The quote talks about how childhood is solely meant for exploring things, playing, and making mistakes without life-altering consequences. However, when someone starts working at a very young age, especially in high-pressure environments like the entertainment industry, the way Jackson was, their youth is replaced by schedules, performances, expectations, financial pressures, etc. This all happens because they were denied the chance to be childlike.This often results in many people holding on to that part of life even as they evidently grow older. According to the quote, people often revert to “childish, silly things” as an unconscious effort to reclaim what they have missed or lost. Since people are thrust into such high-pressure worlds right off the bat, they often skip out on things and moments that are necessary in life when you are growing up.These same moments then manifest when a person grows older, yet still tries to hold onto the past that they never got to experience.
How does Janet Jackson relate to this quote?
Janet Jackson started her career in the entertainment industry when she was just seven years old with her siblings in the Jackson 5. The quote comes from a place of experience and acknowledgement. The singer herself. Did not get to experience a lot of moments from her childhood that she should have. At only ten, as the Jackson family dynasty grew in popularity, she was also cast in popular shows such as ‘Good Times, Diff’rent Strokes,’ and ‘Fame.’However, this is not the life that she wanted for herself. At first, she wanted to study and become a horse race jockey; however, it was because of her father’s wishes that she was never able to pursue it. Jackson had grown up loving animals all around her; however, her wishes were never listened to.
Janet Jackson started her career in the entertainment industry with her brothers, however, as she grew older, she created her own persona in the industry. (Instagram)
Janet has often spoken in interviews over the years about how she consciously holds onto silly or playful moments in her private life to balance out the intense pressure she faced as a child. Embracing this part of her life has helped her have unstructured fun that her young career stripped away.
About Janet Jackson’s early life and career
Janet Jackson was born on May 16, 1966, in Gary, Indiana, as the youngest of ten siblings in the Jackson family. Her childhood was filled with glitz and glamour, as by the time she was born, her older brothers already had an established image as the Jackson 5. In 1973, she made her official debut on stage with her brother, Randy, at the MGM Casino in Las Vegas. When she was 13, she appeared in a lot of TV shows and became a household face on American sitcoms.In the 1980s, she officially started her career as a musician and developed her own distinctive style of music and performances. Over the years, she has come to be known for her unique sense of style and her eccentric music.
